(Video Link)
Students at the University of Maryland build a functional helicopter that is powered only by human exertion:
The X-shaped helicopter, called Gamera, has 42-foot diameter rotors at each end of 60-foot long crossbars. A pilot's module is suspended from the middle, where Wexler, a biology student, sat and pedaled with feet and hands. Pilot included, the contraption weighs just over 200 pounds.
Judy Wexler pedaled hard enough to lift the craft (just barely) off the ground for four seconds. Skip ahead to three minutes into the video to see the flight.
Link via Walyou
Newest 5 Comments
Lol, Every one of the guys working it checked out her butt as she prepared to get in, and did anyone notice the epicbeard dude lying in the background looking all like gandalf?
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Bah, it needs to fly.
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Gamera is the friend of all children!
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Ray, du hast recht! Notice that the blades are next to the floor, below the center of gravity. This is an unstable design and was likely done to maximize the ground effect.
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Cool, but I don't think you can consider it flight unless it leaves ground effect. The Spruce Goose had the same limitation on its only (attempted) flight.
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